6.17.2011

Civil War Economics

As it is the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War this year, many publications have been exploring the economic side of the nation's bloodiest conflict. At Freakonomics Professor Peter Coclanis of the University of North Carolina was available to answer reader questions in response to a statement of his which was posted on the same site about a week earlier. Meanwhile, The Economist handled the historical backdrop of the conflict, its long-lasting economic effects and its legacy with aplomb in a longer piece typical of that paper's outstanding work.

Though several generations have come and gone since the terminal end of the conflict, it seems Americans remain deeply divided over the contributing factors and impacts of the war, as can be noted in a series of rather heated comments in response to Professor Coclanis' piece. Perhaps unsurprisingly in light of this they remain equally conflicted over how to recognize this seminal moment in American history; evidence of this can be seen at a recent Harris poll here.

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